Chocolate, Craving, Insulin Resistance?

**nicke** · 25-03-2009 10:54 PM

Hi,

My wife is pretty fit, lifts free weights and does a variety of cardio. Generally her diet is good, although she will have chocolate on occasion. When she has chocolate though it's v difficult for her to stop at one bar - the craving for more is pretty intense.

Is this likely phycological or physical? Could she be insulin resistant and is experiencing low blood sugar craving due to the over production of insulin?

**cheef** · 25-03-2009 11:04 PM

id doubt it shes a women chocolate is like sex lol

**Was_once_fat_dave** · 25-03-2009 11:15 PM

it doesnt seem to happen once a month does it lol??

**coma** · 26-03-2009 09:14 AM

Low blood sugar (or reactive hypoglaecemia) is pretty much an excuse for the majority of people to eat sugar. Unless you're diabetic or have a similar problem there's no real need for sugar. It's far more likely she's craving the sugar in the chocolate (white sugar has been shown to display the same brain signals that many drug addicts going cold turkey have) or more likely because it releases endorphins and dopamine and activate the reward centre part of her brain.

Try her out on some 85% chocolate, don't keep much at home and chuck whatever milk chocolate you have lying around. She'll also benefit from actually getting some of the polyphenols and antioxidants in chocolate promoted by so many news articles which are destroyed in the manufacturing process for milk chocolate.

FWIW one treat a week wont hurt anyway, plus women get a much big reaction to chocolate due to the differences in male/female physiology. As a guy I guess I'll just never experience the full joy of eating chocolate!

**Victoria** · 26-03-2009 09:53 AM

How soon after the first bar is she wanting the second?

If it's almost straight away, then it's not reactive hypoglycemia or the likes. It's probably psychological.

Also, if it was reactive hypoglycemia, she'd be going for a variety of carb rich foods, whatever was first to hand, and not specifically chocolate.

Chocolate cravings are common. Don't worry about it! If you have a Google there's plenty of suggestions as to why women crave chocolate. It could be caused by hormones, balance of minerals/substances in the body, and any number of other theories.

**Victoria** · 26-03-2009 09:54 AM

Quote

Originally Posted by coma

FWIW one treat a week wont hurt anyway, plus women get a much big reaction to chocolate due to the differences in male/female physiology. As a guy I guess I'll just never experience the full joy of eating chocolate!

I'm not fussed on chocolate. Maybe I have more of a male physiology